Monday, March 14, 2005

Forget the old slacker stereotype, Generation X dads (ages 25 - 40) are proving that they are much more hands-on than previous generations, although they still aren't willing to accept help. From Knight Ridder newspapers:

Juggling roles as a business executive, father and coach is all in a day's work for men of Generation X. These new dads with new priorities represent a broad shift from prior generations in their level of involvement with their kids. And that involvement reflects in the workplace: They are more likely to sacrifice pay, modify work travel and refuse relocation for family reasons.

Now some employers are reaching out to help men with balance, considering them the silent stakeholder in the work/life debate. But those employers who try often are baffled by the results: The men are shunning benefits offered to them or reluctant to talk openly about work-family conflict, often out of fear of being perceived as weak in their commitment to work.

Fathers of Generation X -- the 60 million Americans between ages 25 and 40 -- spend at least an hour a day more involved in their child's lives than the prior generation.